The Van - Roddy Doyle

...Shouts King Herrod on the Dublin shore. “I’m telling you two eeejits, if you do not get that van out of there now, I am calling the guards!” He shouts again. “Agh, **** off, yis ****, we’re getting a pint now.” Is the reply from two narked looking Irish blokes. Now if you want to know why this imaginary conversation is taking place, then I suggest you read Roddy Doyle’s final book in the Barrytown trilogy, ...
...Irish family (the Rabbittees) and the trials and tribulations of being poor in working class Ireland. The previous two books being the Commitments and the Snapper. The Snapper and the Van very much form the one book, with parts of the story line overlapping and so I do suggest you read the review of the Snapper, to get the full impact of this review. (I know a plug, but I am serious, otherwise I will get comments saying this review does not make ...

KingHerrod 29.03.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The Van - Roddy Doyle

...Doyle's Barrytown books dealing with the same characters and environment as The Snapper and The Committments. It is the story of a broken down old chip van and its adventures. As before, it is set against a background of depression and poverty in Dublin, and the irrepressible spirit of the community (right on, etc, etc). The book is set during Ireland's world cup campaign, which provides the main countertheme of the plot. As before (again) it is ...

Saturn 14.08.2000 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of The Van - Roddy Doyle

The Van by Roddy Doyle is comedic novel of depressing poverty and dmoestic chaos. In the novel, the main character of Jimmy Rabbitte Sr shows that although he is unemployed he overcomes this to begin to provide for his family after him and his friend Bimbo take on a chihp van. The novel scrutinises Jimmy's unemployement and how he deals with his feelings of inadequacy at no longer being able to provide for his family. Despite Jimmy's difficult life ...

bmsaint14 25.09.2006 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of The Van - Roddy Doyle